Maryclare "Clare" Helms

Thursday

Nov 8, 2012 at 12:01 AM

Tracy, CA

Maryclare "Clare" Helms

Jan. 6, 1922 - Nov. 6, 2012

Clare was born in Youngstown, Ohio, the youngest of 6 children, to William and Julia Durkin. Her family moved to California when she was 4 years old, following the death of her father. She graduated from High School in San Francisco and attended college for two years, but felt it necessary to go to work. She worked at various jobs including fire lookout, weather reporter and air traffic controller. Strong and independent, she purchased a house as a single woman during the war. In 1951 she married Leo Helms and in 1959 they purchased Delta Tractor Co., the local International Harvester Dealer, and renamed it Helms Tractor Co. For years she handled the bookkeeping for the business. The family moved to Tracy from Modesto in 1963. Clare moved to Stockton in 1998 and has called O'Connor Woods home for the past 14 years.

Clare volunteered many hours to Mother's Clubs, Boys and Girl Scouts, 4-H, and St. Bernard's Thrift Shop. She later became a Eucharistic Minister, who weekly visited and served communion to people at convalescent homes in Tracy. Reading and politics were her passions. She also, on occasion, liked to pull a slot machine handle.

She is survived by one son, Lee Helms and wife Kathrina; a daughter, Elizabeth Helms and husband Bruce Rohrer and 3 grandchildren she deeply loved; grandsons,

She was preceded in death by her husband, Leo in 1997 and son, Eddie and daughter-in-law Marilyn Helms in 2009.

At her request services will be private at Tracy Public Cemetery.

Hotchkiss Mortuary is in care of arrangements. Contributions may be made in Mrs. Helms' name to Healing Partners at Stanford, http://womenshealth.stanford.edu/about/healingpartners.html and click on Support Healing Partners or by check mailed to Kathy Turner, RN, NP Healing Partners, 900 Welch Rd . # 20, Palo Alto, CA 94306.

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